TENDER#37852-IALP-AW/AP-23

6 PROPERTY REQUIREMENTS

6.1 GENERAL

6.1.1 Scope
1 This Part includes Grades 15 MPa and above of concrete to be used in the civil works, with the
requirements for workability, permeability, and drying shrinkage.
2 Related Sections and Parts are as follows:
This Section
Part 2, ........... Aggregates
Part 3, ........... Cementitious Materials
Part 4, ............ Water
Part 5, ........... Admixtures
Part 7, ............ Concrete Plants
Part 8, ........... Transportation and Placing of Concrete
Part 9,.............. Formwork
Part 13,............ Inspection and Testing of Hardened Concrete

6.1.2 References
1 The following standards are referred to in this Part. The designer along with contractor are
responsible to use the latest update standard as published by the organization:
ACI 207.1R.................Guide to Mass Concrete
ACI 207.2R.................Report on Thermal and Volume Change Effects on Cracking of Mass
Concrete
ACI 207.5R.................Roller - Compacted mass concrete
ACI 213, .....................Guide for Structural Lightweight-Aggregate Concrete
ACI 214, .....................Evaluation of Strength Test Results of Concrete
ACI 221, .....................Guide for Use of Normal Weight and Heavyweight Aggregates in
Concrete
ACI 237R 07 ..............Self Consolidating Concrete
ACI 301, .....................Specifications for Structural Concrete
ACI 304, .....................Guide for Measuring, Mixing, Transporting, and Placing Concrete
ACI 304.2, ..................Placing Concrete by Pumping Methods
ACI 318, .....................Metric Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete &
Commentary
ACI 506, ....................Guide to Shotcrete
ACI 506.1, ..................Guide to Fiber-Reinforced Shotcrete
ACI 506.2, ..................Specification for Shotcrete
ACI 555, .....................Removal and Reuse of Hardened Concrete
ASTM A 820, ..............Specification for Steel Fibers for Fiber-Reinforced Concrete
ASTM C 31,................Practice for making and curing concrete test specimens in the field
ASTM C 33, ...............Specification for Concrete Aggregates
ASTM C 39,................Test Method for Compressive Strength of Cylindrical Concrete
Specimens
ASTM C 42,................Test Method for Obtaining and Testing Drilled Cores and Sawed
Beams of Concrete
ASTM C 94,................Specification for Ready-Mixed Concrete
ASTM C192,...............Practice for Making and Curing Concrete Test Specimens in the
Laboratory
ASTM E 119, ..............Test Methods for Fire Tests of Building Construction and Materials
ASTM C 138,..............Test Method for Density (Unit Weight), Yield, and Air Content
(Gravimetric) of Concrete

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ASTM C 150, .............Specification for Portland Cement

ASTM C 172,..............Practice for Sampling Freshly Mixed Concrete
ASTM C 173,..............Test Method for Air Content of Freshly Mixed Concrete by the
Volumetric Method
ASTM C 231...............Test Method for Air Content of Freshly Mixed Concrete by the
Pressure Method
ASTM C 232, .............Test Methods for Bleeding of Concrete
ASTM C 311, .............Test Methods for Sampling and Testing Fly Ash or Natural Pozzolans for Use
in Portland-Cement Concrete
ASTM C 387,..............Specification for Packaged, Dry, Combined Materials for Mortar and
Concrete
ASTM C 597,..............Test Method for Pulse Velocity through Concrete
ASTM C 617, .............Practice for Capping Cylindrical Concrete Specimens
ASTM C 618, .............Specification for Coal Fly Ash and Raw or Calcined Natural Pozzolan for Use
in Concrete
ASTM C 637,..............Specification for Aggregates for Radiation-Shielding Concrete
ASTM C 638, .............Descriptive Nonmenclature of Constituents of Aggregates for
Radiation-Shielding Concrete
ASTM C 803, .............Test Method for Penetration Resistance of Hardened Concrete ASTM C 805,
.............Test Method for Rebound Number of Hardened Concrete ASTM C 856, .............Practice for
Petrographic Examination of Hardened Concrete ASTM C 900, .............Test Method for Pullout
Strength of Hardened Concrete
ASTM C 989,..............Standard Specification for Slag Cement for Use in Concrete and
Mortars
ASTM C 1018,............Test Method for Flexural Toughness and First-Crack Strength of Fiber-
Reinforced Concrete
ASTM C 1116, ...........Specification for Fiber-Reinforced Concrete
ASTM C 1140,............Practice for Preparing and Testing Specimens from Shotcrete Test
Panels
ASTM C 1152.............Standard Test Method for Acid-Soluble Chloride in Morter and
Concrete.
ASTM C 1218.............Standard Test Method for Water-Soluble Chloride in Morter and
Concrete.
ASTM C 1231,............Practice for Use of Unbonded Caps in Determination of Compressive
Strength of Hardened Concrete Cylinders
ASTM C 1240,............Specification for Silica Fume Used in Cementitious Mixtures
ASTM C 1385,............Practice for Sampling Materials for Shotcrete
ASTM C 1399,............Test Method for Obtaining Average Residual-Strength of Fiber-
Reinforced Concrete
ASTM C 1480,............Specification for Packaged, Pre-Blended, Dry, Combined Materials for
Use in Wet or Dry Shotcrete Application
ASTM C 1550,............Test Method for Flexural Toughness of Fiber Reinforced Concrete
(Using Centrally Loaded Round Panel)
ASTM C 1604,............Test Method for Obtaining and Testing Drilled Cores of Shotcrete
ASTM C 1609,............Test Method for Flexural Performance of Fiber-Reinforced Concrete
(Using Beam With Third-Point Loading)
ASTM C 1611,............Test Method for Slump Flow of Self-Compacting Concrete
ASTM C 1666,............Specification for Alkali Resistant (AR) Glass Fiber for GFRC and
Fiber-Reinforced Concrete and Cement
ASTM D 5759,............Guide for Characterization of Coal Fly Ash and Clean Coal
Combustion Fly Ash for Potential Uses
ASTM D 6942,............Test Method for Stability of Cellulose Fibers in Alkaline Environments
BRE digest 433, .........Recycled Aggregates
BS 4027, ....................Specification for Sulphate-Resisting Portland Cement

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BS 6073-2:2008, ........Precast concrete masonry units. Guide for specifying precast concrete
masonry units
BS 8500, ....................Concrete, Complementary British Standard to BS EN 206-1.
BS 8666,.....................Specification for scheduling, dimensioning, bending and cutting of steel
reinforcement for concrete
BS EN 206-1, ............Concrete. Specification, Performance, Production And Conformity
BS EN 450,.................Fly Ash for Concrete. Definition, Specifications And Conformity Criteria
BS EN 771-3, .............Specification for masonry units. Aggregate concrete masonry units
(dense and light-weight aggregates
BS EN 772-2, ............. Methods of test for masonry units. Determination of percentage area of voids
in masonry units (by paper indentation)
BS EN 12350,.............Testing Fresh Concrete
BS EN 12350-1, .........Testing fresh concrete - Part 1: Sampling BS EN 12350-2, .........Testing fresh
concrete - Part 2: Slump test BS EN 12350-3, .........Testing fresh concrete - Part 3: Vebe test
BS EN 12350-4, .........Testing fresh concrete - Part 4: Degree of compactability
BS EN 12350-5, .........Testing fresh concrete - Part 5: Flow table test
BS EN 12350-6, .........Testing fresh concrete - Part 6: Density
BS EN 12350-7, .........Testing fresh concrete - Part 7: Air content - Pressure methods
BS EN 12390,.............Testing Hardened Concrete
BS EN 12390-1, .........Testing hardened concrete - Part 1: Shape, dimensions and other
requirements for specimens and moulds
BS EN 12390-2, .........Testing hardened concrete - Part 2: Making and curing specimens for strength
tests
BS EN 12390-3, .........Testing hardened concrete - Part 3: Compressive strength of test specimens
BS EN 12390-4, .........Testing hardened concrete - Part 4: Compressive strength -
Specification for testing machines
BS EN 12390-5, .........Testing hardened concrete - Part 5: Flexural strength of test specimens
BS EN 12390-6, .........Testing hardened concrete - Part 6: Tensile splitting strength of test
specimens
BS EN 12390-7, .........Testing hardened concrete - Part 7: Density of hardened concrete
BS EN 12390-8, .........Testing hardened concrete - Part 8: Depth of penetration of water under
pressure
BS EN 12620,.............Aggregate For Concrete
BS EN 15167 .............Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag For Use In Concrete, Mortar
And Grout. Conformity Evaluation
BS EN 1744, ..............Tests For Chemical Properties Of Aggregates
BS EN 1992-3:2006 ...Eurocode 2. Design of concrete structures. Liquid retaining and
containing structures
BS EN 1992-3:2006 ...UK National Annex to Eurocode 2. Design of concrete structures.
Liquid retaining and containment structures
BS PD 6682-1, ...........Aggregates for Concrete. Guidance on the Use of
BS EN 12620 ………..Concrete Society Report No. 31, Permeability testing of site concrete
EN 1011, .................... Welding. Recommendation for welding of metallic materials
EN 1992-1-1, ..............Eurocode 2: Design of concrete structures. General rules and rules for
buildings
GSO ISO 1920-1 ........Testing of concrete —Part 1: Sampling of fresh concrete
GSO ISO 1920-2 ........Testing of concrete – part 2: properties of fresh concrete
GSO ISO 1920-3 ........Testing of concrete – part 3: Making and curing test specimens. GSO ISO
1920-4 .......Testing of concrete – part 4: strength of hardened concrete.
GSO ISO 1920-5 .......Testing of concrete – part 5: properties hardened concrete other than strength.
GSO ISO 1920-6 ........Testing of concrete – part 6: sampling, preparing and testing of concrete
core .
GSO ISO 1920-7 .......Testing of concrete – part 7: Non –destructive test on hardened concrete.

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ISO 1920-8 .................Testing of concrete -- Part 8: Determination of drying shrinkage of concrete

for samples prepared in the field or in the laboratory
ISO 1920-9 .................Testing of concrete -- Part 9: Determination of creep of concrete cylinders
in compression
ISO 1920-10 ...............Testing of concrete -- Part 10: Determination of static modulus of elasticity in
compression
CSTR11......................Concrete core testing – The concrete Society
RILEM CPC 11.3 .......Absorption of water by immersion under vacuum
The Concrete Society CS163. Guide to the design of concrete structures in the Arabian
Peninsula.
The European Guidelines for Self-Compacting Concrete Specification, Production and Use
6.1.3 Definitions:
1 Exposure conditions will apply as follows:
(a) Class X0: No risk of corrosion or attack. Non saline conditions. Blinding concrete, non-
reinforced concrete or slab on ground.
(b) Class X1: Mild exposure – Non saline conditions (dry or wet, rarely dry) External concrete at
least 3m above ground level, internal concrete in dry conditions, concrete permanently
submerged in non-saline water or non-aggressive groundwater.
(c) Class X2: Moderate exposure – Non saline conditions (Cyclic wet and dry). External reinforced
concrete less than 3m above ground level, water-retaining structures exposed to fluctuating
water levels.
(d) Class X3: Aggressive exposure – Permanently submerged or wet (rarely dry) Concrete in
contact with groundwater including capillary rise zone, concrete containing or permanently
exposed to saline water.
(e) Class X4: Severe exposure – Moderate humidity External concrete within 1km from the sea
or in contact with high saline water table or sabkhas. Concrete not affected by condensation,
irrigation or leakage, which are more than 3m above ground level.
(f) Class X5: Extreme exposure – Cyclic wet and dry, external concrete within 1km from the sea
or in contact with high saline groundwater or sabkhas. Concrete affected by condensation,
irrigation or leakage, which are less than 3m above ground level or within capillary zone.
Concrete surfaces exposed to sea water splash or in sea water tidal zone.
(g) Sulphate exposure classes S1 to S4: the exposure classes are related to sulphate attack in
relation to sulphate and pH of the ground water.
2 Concrete is a mixture (mix) of cementitious materials, coarse and fine aggregate, and water, with or
without admixtures, which develops its properties by cement hydration.
3 "Cementitious Materials": Portland cement in combination with one or more of the following: blended
hydraulic cement, fly ash and other pozzolans, ground granulated blast-furnace slag and silica fume;
subject to compliance with requirements of this specification.
4 “Water/Cementitious Ratio” shall mean the ratio between the total weight of water in the concrete
(less the water absorbed by the aggregate) and the weight of cementitious materials, expressed as
a decimal fraction.
5 “Admixtures” shall mean a material other than water, aggregate, cementitious materials or fiber
reinforcement, used as an ingredient of concrete or mortar. Admixtures are added during the
mixing process of concrete to modify the properties of the concrete mix in the fresh and/or
hardened state.
6 “Hot Weather” shall mean any combination of the following conditions that tends to impair the quality
of freshly mixed or hardened concrete by accelerating the rate of moisture loss and rate of cement
hydration, or otherwise causing detrimental results such as: a. High ambient temperature (when the
shade temperature is above 40 deg C on a rising thermometer, 43 deg C on a falling thermometer),
b. High concrete temperature, c. Low relative humidity, d. High wind speed and e. whenever the rate
of evaporation exceeds 0.75 kg/m2/h
7 “Mass concrete” is defined as any volume of concrete with dimensions large enough to require
that measures be taken to cope with generation of heat form hydration of the cement and attendant
volume change to minimize cracking. Reinforced Massive concrete structures include pile caps,
transfer plates, and structural members where the least dimension exceeds 1.5 meters.
8 “Coarse Aggregate” shall be considered as that size passing a 20mm sieve (or larger sieve size)
and predominately retained on a 4mm sieve.
9 “Fine Aggregate” shall be considered as that size predominately passing a 4mm sieve and
predominately retained on a 0.063mm size.

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10 “PC” shall mean Portland cement or CEM I.

11 “FA” shall mean pulverised fuel ash or fly ash.
12 “GGBS” shall mean ground granulated blastfurnace slag.
13 “SF” shall mean silica fume. Other names are condensed silica fume and microsilica
14 “Gap-graded aggregate” shall mean graded aggregate without one or more of the
intermediate sizes.
15 “Single-size aggregate” shall mean aggregates containing a major proportion of particles of
one sieve size.
16 “Target Mean Strength” shall mean the specified characteristic strength plus the margin.
17 “Margin” shall mean the difference between the specified characteristic strength and the target
mean strength.
18 “Acceptable or Accepted” shall mean acceptable or accepted by the Engineer.
19 “Approval or Approved” shall mean approval from the Engineer.
20 “All-in” aggregate shall mean the materials composed of a mixture of coarse and fine
aggregates.
21 Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC): concrete that is able to flow and consolidate under its own weight,
completely fill the formwork even in the presence of dense reinforcement, whilst maintaining
homogeneity and without the need for any additional compaction.

6.1.4 Submittals
1 The Contractor shall submit details of mix designs to the Engineer for approval.
2 Material Safety Data Sheet MSDS or equivalent for all products. test results and other
information as required to prove compliance with the specification shall be submitted to the Engineer
for approval according to the relevant sections of QCS on at least the following products
3 Cement:
(a) Recent independent test results acceptable to the Engineer confirming compliance with
the specified requirements and referenced standards.
(b) Manufacturer's certificates shall also be supplied for each batch of production of cement
or on a weekly basis, whichever is more frequent, certifying compliance with the BS EN 197
or other equivalent standard.
(c) The early compressive strength of each consignment of cement shall conform to the
requirements of QCS part 3 at the independent site laboratory. Deviation of more than
10% from either the previous consignment value or the rolling average shall be
immediately reported to the Engineer. Testing at an independent laboratory shall be as
instructed by the Engineer.
4 GGBS:
(a) Recent independent test results acceptable to the Engineer confirming compliance with
the specified requirements and referenced standards.
(b) Manufacturer's certificates with all information necessary to verify compliance shall also
be supplied for each consignment of GGBS or on weekly basis, whichever is more
frequent.
(c) The early compressive strength of each consignment of GGBS shall be determined in
accordance with BS EN 197 and BS EN 15167 or ASTM C989 at the independent site
laboratory based on a blend of 50/50 % GGBS and CEM 1. Deviation of more than 5% in
strength from either the previous consignment value or the rolling average shall be
immediately reported to the Engineer. Testing at an independent laboratory shall be in
accordance with per BS EN 197 and BS EN 15167 standards, and approved by the Engineer.
5 FA:
(a) Recent independent test results acceptable to the Engineer confirming compliance with
specified requirements of BS EN 450 or ASTM C618.
(b) Manufacturer's certificates with all information necessary to verify compliance with
internationally recognized standards shall also be supplied with each consignment of FA.
(c) The materials shall comply with QCS part 3. Deviation of the strength factor by more than
5% from either the previous consignment value or the rolling average shall be immediately
reported to the Engineer and the Technical Manager of the premix company.
6 Silica fume:

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(a) Recent independent test results acceptable to the Engineer confirming compliance with
specified requirements and referenced standards.
(b) Manufacturer's certificates with all information necessary to verify compliance with
internationally recognized standards shall also be supplied with each consignment of silica
fume.
(c) 7 day pozzolanic activity test in accordance with BS EN 13263-1 or ASTM C 1240 on each
consignment of silica fume at the Independent site laboratory. Deviation of the activity index
by more than 5% from either the previous consignment value or the rolling average shall
be immediately reported to the Engineer and the Technical Manager of the premix
company.
7 Aggregates:
(a) Recent independent test results acceptable to the Engineer confirming compliance with
the specified requirements and referenced standards.
(b) Full details of the proposed sources of aggregates.
8 Water: Recent independent test results acceptable to the Engineer confirming compliance with
the specified requirements and referenced standards.
9 Admixtures: Manufacturer’s technical specifications and recommendations. Recent trial results
acceptable to the Engineer illustrating the efficiency of the product for its particular application.
Tests on specific gravity and solids content shall be conducted at the Independent site laboratory on
each consignment.
10 Mix Designs: Submit concrete mix designs for each type and strength of concrete required at least
thirty (30) days before placing concrete.
11 New mix designs, with historic data less than 6 months, shall be verified by an approved
independent testing laboratory in accordance with requirements of QCS Part 05 and shall be
coordinated with design requirements and Contract Documents.
12 Submit complete mix design data for each separate mix to be used on the Project in a single submittal
with at least the following information:
(a) Type of cement*.
(b) Portland cement content*.
(c) Cementitious content* (GGBS, FA, natural pozzolan, rice husk ash and/or silica fume). (d)
Max. aggregate size*.
(e) Combined grading curve for coarse aggregate
(f) Quantities of all individual materials*
(g) Type of admixture(s)*
(h) Target slump/slump flow (at discharge)* as per BS EN 12350-2
(i) Initial and final concrete setting time for each mix design as per ASTM C403 or equivalent
BS EN standards, if specified
(j) Fresh density of concrete as per BS EN 12350-6
(k) Air content as per BS EN 12350-7
(l) Target Temperature
(m) Bleeding, if pacified
(n) Chloride and sulphate (SO3) contents
(o) Details of calculated water/cementitious material (w/c) ratio* (p)
Compressive strength grade*
(q) Hardened density
(r) Water absorption (%) and water penetration (mm), if specified
(s) Rapid chloride permeability - Coulomb value, if specified
(t) Chloride migration coefficient (m2/sec), if specified
*Include on delivery ticket as a minimum
13 Data shall be from the same production facility that will be used for the Project.
14 Mix Design data shall include but not be limited to the following:
(a) Locations on the Project where each mix design is to be used corresponding to
Structural General Notes on the Drawings.
(b) Proportions: Concrete constituent materials shall be proportioned to yield 1 m3

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(c) Submit strength test records, mix design materials, conditions, and proportions for concrete used
for record of tests, standard deviation calculation, and determination of required average compressive
strength, if required by the Engineer.
(d) If early concrete strength is required, contractor shall submit trial mixture results as required.
(e) Test records to support proposed mixtures shall be no more than 12 months old and use current
cement and aggregate sources. Test records to establish standard deviation may be older if necessary
to have the required number of samples.
(f) Manufacturer's product data for each type of admixture.
(g) Manufacturer’s certifications that all admixtures used are compatible with each other.
(h) All information indicating compliance with Contract Documents including method of placement and
method of curing.
15 Mass Concrete:
(a) Submit mix design for mass concrete elements in conformance with requirements of ACI 301
Section 8. The concrete mix design shall not be designed with a high early strength unless
otherwise demonstrated by the Contractor for capability of maintaining proper temperature
and approved by the Engineer.
(b) Submit proposed methods of temperature control, including cementitious material content
control in mix design to reduce heat-generating potential of concrete, precooling of
ingredients to lower concrete temperature as placed, and methods to protect mass concrete
elements from excessive temperature differentials.
(c) Submit analysis of anticipated thermal development within mass concrete elements with
the proposed mix design for these elements. Results of the analysis, using methods in
ACI 207.1R and ACI 207.2R such as the Schmidt model and site specific data, shall address
the maximum differential temperature and the maximum temperature during curing
(d) Submit proposed number and locations of temperature monitoring devices to record
temperature development between the interior and the exterior of mass concrete elements.

6.2 EXPOSURE CLASSES

6.2.1 General
1 The exposure classes are related to the environmental conditions surrounding the concrete in
service.
2 The concrete may be subject to more than one of the classes described below, and the
environmental conditions to which it is subjected need to be expressed as a combination of exposure
classes.
3 Where two or more aggressive characteristics lead to the same class, the exposure shall be
classified into the next higher class; unless a special study for this specific case proves that it is not
necessary.

4 For a given structure, different concrete elements may be subject to different environmental classes.

6.2.2 Reinforcement corrosion and sulphate classes

1 The classification system described below is based on the approach in BS EN 206-1, BS
8500-1, and the Concrete Society CS 163.
2 The exposure classes related to reinforcement corrosion are associated with carbonation and
chlorides as per Table 6.1.
3 The exposure classes related to sulphate attack are given in Table 6.2 in relation to sulphate and
pH of the ground water.
4 The sulphate content as S04 mg/l shall be determined as per BS EN 196-2.
5 The pH shall be determined as per ISO 4316.

Table 6.1.
Exposure classes for reinforcement corrosion
Exposure Class Class description

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X0 No risk of corrosion or attack. Non saline conditions. Blinding concrete,

non-reinforced concrete or slab on ground
X1 Mild exposure – Non saline conditions (dry or wet, rarely dry). External
concrete at least 3m above ground level, internal concrete in dry
conditions, concrete permanently submerged in non-saline water or non-
aggressive groundwater (Class S1).
X2 Moderate exposure – Non saline conditions (cyclic wet and dry). External
reinforced concrete less than 3m above ground level, water-retaining
structures exposed to fluctuating water levels.
X3 Aggressive exposure – Permanently submerged or wet (rarely dry).
Concrete in contact with groundwater including capillary rise zone,
concrete containing or permanently exposed to saline water.
X4 Severe exposure – Moderate humidity. External concrete within 1km from
the sea or in contact with high saline water table or sabkhas. Concrete not
affected by condensation, irrigation or leakage, which are more than 3m
above ground level.
X5 Extreme exposure – Cyclic wet and dry. External concrete within 1km from
the sea or in contact with high saline groundwater or sabkhas. Concrete
affected by condensation, irrigation or leakage, which are less than 3m
above ground level or within capillary zone. Concrete surfaces exposed to
sea water splash or in sea water tidal zone.

Table 6.2. Sulphate

exposure classes
Sulphate and magnesium Natural soil Brownfield1
Exposure
class 2:1 water/soil or groundwater Static Mobile Static Mobile
water pH water2 water water2
SO4 (mg/l) Mg (mg/l) pH pH pH
S1 < 1500 > 3.5 Not mobile > 5.5 Not mobile
S2 1500-3000 > 3.5 Not mobile > 5.5 Not mobile
S3 3001-6000 ≤ 1000 > 3.5 Not mobile > 5.5 Not mobile
S4 > 6000 ≤ 1000 > 3.5 > 5.5 > 5.5 > 6.5
S5 > 6000 > 1000 > 3.5 > 5.5 > 5.5 > 6.5
Notes
1. Brownfield sites are those previously occupied and contain chemical residues into the
ground or groundwater
2. The mobility of water shall be determined as described in the Concrete Society CS 163.
6.3 FRESH CONCRETE

6.3.1 General
1 Where adequate workability is difficult to obtain at the maximum water/cementitious ratio allowed, the
use of plasticisers or water reducing admixtures may be considered. Alternatively an increase in
cementitious content may be considered where this will not adversely affect the durability of the
concrete.

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2 Cementitious contents in excess of 400 kg/m3 shall not be used unless special consideration has been
given to the effect for heat of hydration and reduce thermal stress in the concrete, and approval has
been obtained from the Engineer. The maximum cementitious content shall not exceed 500kg/m³
3 The proportioning, mixing and placing of the mixture shall be in accordance with Parts 7 and 8 of this
Section
4 Temperature (at placement):
(a) Maximum fresh concrete temperature shall not exceed 32°C unless construction
testing to verify a proposed concrete mixture will function satisfactorily at a concrete
temperature greater than 32°C. No concrete shall be placed if the concrete temperature is
above 35°C
(b) For mass concrete, the concrete producer shall demonstrate that temperature of concrete
due to hydration shall comply with the maximum fresh concrete temperature specified. The
supplier may use in his demonstration testing heat sensors and simulation technologies
which measure the concrete heat of hydration and its rate versus concrete curing age.
5 The Contractor is responsible for ensuring that the concrete is able to be fully compacted within
the concrete element regardless of reinforcing density or other limitations. This may involve
reducing the maximum aggregate size, increase the level of concrete workability or use self-
compacting concrete.
6 Where the consistence of concrete is to be determined, it shall be measured either by means of:
(a) Slump test conforming to BS EN 12350-2
(b) Flow table test conforming to BS EN 12350-5
7 The consistence of concrete shall be determined at the time of use of the concrete or in the case
of ready-mix concrete, at the time of delivery.
8 The tolerances for the different consistence tests and target values are given in Table 6.3.
Table 6.3.
Tolerances for target values of
consistence
Target value (mm) ≤ 40 50 to 90 ≥ 100
Slump*
Tolerance (mm) -30, +40 -40, +50 -50, +60
Target value (mm) All values
Flow diameter*
Tolerance (mm) -60, +70
* For spot samples taken from initial discharge

6.4 GRADES OF CONCRETE

1 Where strength is classified with respect to compressive strength, Table 6.4 gives the concrete
grade with the requirements for w/c ratio and cementitious content.
2 The characteristic compressive strength at 28 days of 150mm cubes (f ck, cube) or 150mm
diameter by 300mm cylinders (fck, cyl) may be used for the classification.
3 Exception will be made for concrete mixtures containing fly ash, silica fume or GGBS, where testing
shall be requested at 56 days, or 90 days as approved by the Engineer.

Table 6.4:
Concrete grades and composition requirements

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Minimum Minimum Maximum

Concrete Grade
characteristic cube characteristic Minimum cementitious
strength (fck, cube) cylinder strength content Water : Cementitious
(fck, cyl) Ratio

(N/mm2) (N/mm2) (kg/m3) (w/c)

B 15 15 12 - -
B 20 20 16 - -
C 25 25 20 260 0.60
C 30 30 25 300 0.58
C 35 35 28 320 0.55
C 40 40 32 335 0.50
C45 45 35 355 0.47
C 50 50 40 370 0.45
C 60 60 50 380 0.40
C 75 75 60 390 0.35

6.5 DURABILITY REQUIREMENTS

6.5.1 General
1 Constituent materials shall not contain harmful ingredients in such quantities as may be
detrimental to the durability of concrete or cause corrosion of the reinforcement.
2 For reinforced concrete in the ground, the need for protection from chlorides must be balanced
against the need for protection from sulphates.
3 Protective measures include the use of surface treatment, alternative reinforcement and
increasing the concrete cover. In every case, the need for good quality concrete with low
permeability is paramount.

6.5.2 Maximum acid soluble chloride content

1 The chloride content of the concrete, expressed as the percentage of chloride ions by mass of
cementitious materials, shall not exceed the values given in Table 6.5.

2 Calcium chloride and chloride based admixtures shall not be used in concrete containing
steel reinforcement or other embedded metal.
3 The determination of the chloride content in the concrete shall be conducted by the sum of
the contributions from the constituent materials as described in BS EN 206-1 and BS 8500-2.

Table 6.5.
Maximum chloride content of concrete (by weight of cementitious materials)
Concrete made with sulphate Concrete made with other cementitious
Concrete type resisting Portland cement materials than SRPC

Reinforced concrete 0.15 % 0.3 %

Pre-stressed concrete 0.08 % 0.10 %

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6.5.3 Type of cementitious material

1 Different types of cementitious materials offer different resistance to sulphate attack and
penetration of chlorides
2 The minimum cementitious content for different concrete grades is given in Table 6.4.
3 Table 6.6 gives the different types of cementitious materials and their combinations.

Table 6.6.
Cementitious materials and
combinations

Cementitious material Percentage of components BS EN 197-1 ASTM

designation standard

Portland cement 100% PC CEM I Type 1

Sulphate-resistance Portland
cement 100% SRPC - Type 5

65-79% PC
PC/fly ash CEM II/B-V
35-21% FA

PC/ground granulated 35-65% PC

CEM III/A
blastfurnace slag
65-35% GGBS

55-70% PC
Triple blend
35-25% FA
PC/FA/SF
10-5% SF
30-45% PC
Triple blend PC/GGBS/SF 60-50% GGBS
10-5% SF
6.5.4 Resistance to alkali-silica reaction
1 Alkali-silica reaction is the most common form of alkali-aggregate reaction.
2 Dry concrete is not prone to cracking by alkali-silica reaction, as it needs an external source of
water to develop sufficiently to cause cracking.
3 Where aggregate contain varieties of silica susceptible to attack by alkalis from cement and
other sources and the concrete is exposed to humid conditions, actions shall be taken to prevent
deleterious alkali-silica reaction using recommendations and procedures given in BS EN 206-1
and BS 8500-2.

6.5.5 Recommendations to resist reinforcement corrosion

1 Durability design should start at the concept design stage, continuing through the design,
detailing, specification and execution phases.
2 This section covers the concrete grade, cementitious type, and minimum concrete cover for
various exposure classes as given in Table 6.1.
3 Table 6.7 provided recommended values of concrete grade and cover thickness to resist
reinforcement corrosion at different exposure classes.

Table 6.7.
Recommended durability requirement to resist reinforcement corrosion

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Exposure Class Minimum concrete cover (mm) Cementitious type

(Table 6.6)

No risk of
X0 corrosion 25 All

X1 Mild 45 40 35 30 All

X2 Moderate - 50 45 40 35 All
PC/FA
X3 Aggressive - 70 65 60 55 PC/GGBS
Triple blend

PC/FA
X4 Severe* - 75 70 65 60 PC/GGBS
Triple blend

X5 Extreme* - 80 75 70 65 Triple blend

Minimum concrete C30 C40 C50 C60 C75

grade
*High level of cement replacement is required for severe and extreme exposure conditions.
Other protection measures such as coated reinforcement or surface treatment may be
considered.

6.5.6 Recommendations to resist sulphate attack

1 The exposure classification shall be identified based on the sulphate and magnesium contents
in the ground and groundwater, pH and mobility of groundwater as given in Table
6.2.
2 The recommended concrete specification requirements in terms of concrete grade and
cementitious type are given in Table 6.8.
3 Unless stated otherwise by the Engineer or project designs, all concrete below ground shall have
surface protection to prevent the movement of moisture from the ground, through the foundations
into the superstructure. The method of protection shall be in accordance with Section 15 of the QCS
or as approved by Qatar Standards.

Table 6.8
Recommended durability requirement to resist sulphate attack

Exposure class Minimum concrete grade Cementitious type

S1 C35 All
C40 Triple blend
S2
C50 SRPC, PC/FA, PC/GGBS
C50 Triple blend
S3
C60 SRPC, PC/FA, PC/GGBS
C60

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S4 C75 Triple blend

S51 See Note See Note

Note:
S51 requires special treatment when the sulphate content exceeds 6000 mg/l and the magnesium content
exceeds 1000 mg/l.

6.5.7 Durability-Related Properties

1 The durability of concrete is greatly influenced by the ability of the concrete cover to resist the
movement of liquid and gas through concrete.
2 The commonly used test for assessing the transport properties of concrete are listed in Table
6.9 together with typical values. Lower value indicates more durable concrete.
3 No values are currently specified for various exposure classes, but may be requested by the
Engineer. Table 6.9 gives the recommended durability-related properties and typical values for the
development of mix design and comparative performance as given in the Concrete Society CS163.
4 For Severe and Extreme exposures, it is recommended to use high durable concrete (Table
6.9)
Table 6.9
Recommended properties and typical values for concrete
Age range between 28 and 90 days
Concrete property Test method
High durability Minimum durability
Water absorption BS 1881: Part 122 2% 4%
Water penetration, BS EN 12390-8 5 mm 30 mm
Rapid chloride permeability (RCP), ASTM C 1202 500 coulombs 4000 coulombs
Chloride migration NT Build 492 2.0 x10-12 (m2/s) 9.0 x10-12 (m2/s)

1. Concrete shall be tested for any of the transport properties when requested by the Engineer and
shall be tested at 28 days.
2. Exception will be made for concrete mixtures containing fly ash, silica fume or GGBS, where
testing shall be requested at 56 days, or 90 days.

6.6 DESIGN OF CONCRETE MIXES

1 At the start of the construction period, the Contractor shall design a mix for each grade of concrete
as stated hereafter.
2 Each mix design shall be such that:
(a) the aggregate shall comprise fine aggregate and coarse aggregate with size specified in
Section 5, Part 2.
(b) the combined aggregate grading shall be continuous
(c) the aggregate quantity shall be calculated by weight.
3 Where a concrete production facility has strength test records not more than 12 months old, a sample
standard deviation, Ss, shall be established. Test records from which Ss is calculated shall consist
of at least 30 consecutive tests or two groups of consecutive tests totalling at least 30 tests
4 Where a concrete production facility does not have strength test records meeting
requirements of 6.6 (3) above, but does have test records not more than 12 months old based
on 15 to 29 consecutive tests, a sample standard deviation Ss shall be established as the product
of the calculated sample standard deviation and modification factor of Table 6.10

Table 6.10
Modification Factor for Sample Standard Deviation When Less Than 30 Tests Are Availabl
Modification factor for sample standard
No. of tests
deviation
Less than 15 Use para 7. Below
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15 1.16
20 1.08
25 1.03
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5 To determine the correction factor between cube strength and cylinder strength, the contractor
shall establish at least 30 consecutive strength tests from each proposed mix design. This correction
will remain valid thru the project providing that no change in the properties of the materials and no
change in source occurred.
6 Required average compressive strength (Target Mean Strength) f’cr used as the basis for selection
of concrete proportions shall be determined from Table 6.11 using the sample standard deviation, Ss

Table 6.11:
Required Target Mean Strength when data are available to
establish a sample Standard Deviation

Specified compressive strength, Required average compressive strength, Target

N/mm2 or MPa Mean Strength, N/mm2 or MPa

F’c < 35 MPa --- see footnote F’cr = f’c + 1.34Ss ------------------ Eq. 1

F’cr = f’c + 2.33Ss – 3.5 ---------- Eq. 2

F’c > 35 MPa --- see footnote F’cr = f’c + 1.34Ss ------------------ Eq. 1

F’cr = 0.90f’c + 2.33Ss ------------ Eq. 3

Note: Use the larger value computed from any equation
7 When a concrete production facility does not have field strength test records for calculation of
Ss, Required average strength (Target Mean Strength) f’cr shall be determined as follow:
(a) F’cr = f’c + 8.5 MPa when 20 < f’c < 35 MPa
(b) F’cr = 1.10f’c + 5 MPa when f’c > 35 MPa

6.6.1 Concrete
1 Portland cement concrete shall consist of a mixture of cementitious materials, fine aggregate, coarse
aggregate, water, and additives (when required). It shall be classified as in Table 6.4 unless
otherwise stated hereafter and requested by the Engineer.
2 Blinding concrete
(a) Blinding concrete shall be of minimum Grade C15 and above.
(b) The thickness of the blinding concrete shall be as shown on the Drawings, but shall in no
instance be less than 75 mm.
(c) The surface finish to blinding concrete shall be Class U4 as specified in Clause 9.3.1 of
Part 9 of this Section or as directed by the Engineer.
3 Mass Concrete
(a) The fresh concrete temperature at placing shall not exceed 21°C to minimise thermal
cracking. A higher temperature of up to 27°C may be accepted with a demonstration of the
satisfactory performance of concrete including mock up and thermal calculations. The
maximum allowable differential temperature between the interior and the exterior of the
mass concrete element shall not exceed 20 ° C. The maximum temperature in any location
within the mass concrete structure during curing shall not exceed 70 °C. The drop in
concrete surface temperature during, and at the conclusion of the specified curing
period, shall not exceed 11 °C in any 24 hour period.

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4 Self-Compacting Concrete
(a) General: Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC) is a special concrete that requires minimum
or no vibration for placing and compaction. It is able to flow under its own weight, completely
filling formwork and achieving full compaction, even in the presence of congested
reinforcement. The hardened concrete is dense, homogeneous and has the same
engineering properties and durability as traditional vibrated, fully compacted concrete.
(b) Self-Compacting Concrete Supplier: SCC shall be supplied by a competent concrete producer
with a record of successfully producing this type of concrete at considerable volume and
with high consistency.
(c) Constituent Materials, General: The constituent materials for SCC are the same as those
used in traditional concrete conforming to EN 206-1, as specified in part 2 of this section.
(d) To achieve these requirements the control of the constituent materials needs to be increased
and the tolerable variations restricted, so that daily production of SCC is within the conformity
criteria without the need to test and/or adjust every batch.
(e) Recommended Test Requirements for SCC:

Laboratory tests Field Tests

Slump-flow 600 – 750 mm 550 – 750 mm

V-Funnel 6 – 25 sec N.A

L-Box (3 bars) > 0.80 N.A

J-Ring < 10mm N.A
(f) Concrete specimens shall be moulded in single layer without rodding and tapping
(g) Slump flow and VSI testing shall be performed as outlined in the European Guidelines for
SCC, BS EN 12350-8 and BS EN 12350-9 or ACI 237R 07 and ASTM C 1611/C
1611M
5 Pile Concrete
(a) The cementitious content shall not be less than 380 kg/m 3, as specified in Section 4.
(b) The water-cementitious ratio shall not exceed 0.45
(c) The concrete mixture shall be designed of high slump not less than 150 mm allowing proper
free fall with excellent homogeneity. When concrete mixture requires slump of greater than
230 mm, it shall be designed as Self-Compacting Concrete or as instructed by the
Engineer.
(d) The concrete slump shall have adequate workability retention using approved type of retarder
and shall be submitted in the design mix.
(e) The increase in workability shall not permit any decrease in the specified design strength
(f) The concrete in a pile shall, if at all possible, be placed in one continuous operation.
6 Underwater Concrete
(a) Shall comply with ACI 304 Chapter 8
(b) The Cementitious content shall not be less than 390 kg/m3
(c) The water-cementitious ratio must not exceed 0.40
(d) Fine aggregate contents of 45 to 55% by volume of total aggregate and air contents of up to
approximately 5% are generally specified.

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(e) Concrete shall be more cohesive and less prone to washout of cement or fines from the
concrete during placement. Antiwashout admixtures or alternative concrete mix shall be used
for underwater concrete.
(f) Trial placements shall be conducted to verify that the concrete proportioned with the antiwashout
admixture can maintain adequate slump life and can flow for the required distance.
(g) The concrete mixture shall be designed of high slump not less than 150 mm allowing proper
free fall with excellent homogeneity. The use of air-entraining admixture shall be evaluated
as it increases the workability. When concrete mixture requires slump of greater than 230
mm, it shall be designed as Self Compacted Concrete. The increase in slump shall be made
using proper admixtures.
(h) The concrete slump shall have adequate retention using approved type of retarder and shall
be submitted in the design mix.
(i) The increase in workability shall not permit any decrease in the specified design strength
(j) The concrete shall be placed in one continuous operation
(k) The final selection of a concrete mixture shall be based on test placements made under water
in a placement box or in a pit that can be dewatered after the placement. Test placements
shall be examined for concrete surface flatness, amount of laitance present, quality of
concrete at the extreme flow distance of the test, and flow around embedded items, if
appropriate.
7 Shotcrete
(a) The classification of shotcreting shall be in accordance to the process used (wet-mix or dry-
mix) and the size of aggregates used.
(b) All materials shall be as per QCS except for aggregate where gradation shall be as per
ACI 506R and 506.2R
(c) Steel and synthetic fibers will be used to reduce propagation of cracks. Fibers shall be as per
Manufacturer supplier data sheet and shall conform to ASTM A 820 for steel fibers and ASTM
C1116 for synthetic fibers.
(d) The nozzle operator should be certified (refer to ACI CP-60) and have completed at least one
similar application as a nozzle operator on a similar project. The nozzle operator should also
be able to demonstrate, by test, an ability to satisfactorily perform the required duties and to
apply shotcrete as required by specifications
(e) Before shotcreting the surface shall be prepared and maintained before and during shotcrete
application. Surface preparation shall conform to ACI 506 R chap. 5
(f) The cementitious content shall not be less than 360 kg/m3 where wet-mix is applied the
slump shall be in the range of 40 to 80 mm
(g) Normal testing ages for compressive strength are 7 and 28 days; however, shorter periods
may be required for particular applications or conditions as directed by the Engineer. Testing
shall be on daily production or every 30 m3 whichever is greater.
(h) Sampling and testing, however, should be varied according to the size and complexity of the
project. Sampling should be done in accordance with ASTM C 1385. Making extra cylinders
or panels shall be at the request of Engineer if testing results vary.
(i) Testing for water absorption and drying shrinkage shall be at the request of the
Engineer.
(j) Fiber-reinforced shotcrete requires fiber washout tests or flexural toughness testing according
to ASTM C 1018.
(k) Acceptance of shotcrete should be based on results obtained from drilled cores or sawed
cubes (ASTM C 42). The use of data from nondestructive testing devices, such as impact
hammers or probes (ASTM C 805, ASTM C 803), ultrasonic equipment (ASTM C 597), and
pull-out devices (ASTM C 900) may be useful in determining the uniformity and quality of the

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in-place shotcrete. These tests, however, may not provide reliable values for compressive
strength.
(l) Core grading is a method used to evaluate encasement of reinforcement. Core grading
shall be used for nozzle operator evaluation. Core grading should not be used to evaluate
structures.
8 No-Fines Concrete and Pervious concrete

(a) No-fines concrete shall be made using a coarse aggregate conforming QCS section 5 part 3
(b) Proportion of aggregate, cement and water shall be determined by trial mixes by the
Contractor and to be accepted by the Engineer.
(c) All the aggregate particles are to be coated with a film of cement grout. (d)
No-fines concrete when placed shall contain no layers of laitance.
(e) No-fines concrete shall not be mixed by hand.
(f) Mechanical vibration shall not be used to compact no-fines concrete.
(g) Three test cubes of no-fines concrete shall be made of each preliminary mix. (h)
Minimum crushing strength of the chosen mix shall be 5 MPa at 28 days.

(i) The porosity of no-fines concrete shall be such that water will pass through a slab
300 mm thick at the rate of not less than 7 l/m2 • s of slab with a constant 100 mm depth
of water on the slab.
(j) Where a slab incorporating vertical weep holes or drain holes is casted above a layer of no-
fines concrete; any polyethylene sheeting shall be pierced below the pipes forming such
drain holes and the edges of the sheeting sealed to the lower end of the pipe to prevent the
ingress of grout and fine particles from the slab concrete into the no-fines concrete.
(k) The limit for the maximum height of drop while placing is not applicable for no fines concrete.
(l) Formwork shall remain in place until the no fines concrete has gained adequate strength
to support itself as per the requirements of Part 10 of this Section.
(m) Curing shall be carried out in accordance with the provisions of Part 11 of this Section
(n) The fresh density of Pervious concrete shall be tested as per ASTM C1688 and the infiltration
rate shall be tested as per ASTM C1701 and to follow ACI 522.1R for testing and quality control
scheme.
9 Concrete with recycled aggregates shall be generally approved once the source of recycled
aggregates is identified based on type and approved by the Engineer.
(a) The recycled aggregates shall meet with BS EN 12620 and QCS requirements.
(b) The concrete made with recycled aggregates shall be limited to design strength of C40
MPa cube strength; unless otherwise accepted by the Engineer. BS EN 206-1 shall be the
code of practice and guide for the usage of recycled concrete aggregates in concrete or ACI
555 and BRE digest 433.
(c) The Water-cementitious ratio shall not exceed 0.50
(d) To determine a target mean strength on the basis of a required strength, a higher standard
deviation (increased by 40%) shall be used when designing a concrete with recycled

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aggregates of variable quality than when recycled aggregate of uniform quality or virgin
aggregates are used
(e) Specific gravity, unit weight, and absorption of aggregates should be determined before
mixture proportion studies
(f) The mixture proportion should be based on the measured density of the recycled aggregates
intended in the job concrete
(g) Trial mixes shall be made to verify the requirements with project specification and QCS.

10 Heavyweight and radiation shielding concrete

(a) The quality of the aggregates should comply with the requirements of QCS for normal weight
aggregates, ASTM C 637 for heavyweight aggregates and ASTM C638 for aggregates to be
used in radiation-shielding concrete.
(b) When ferrophosphorus aggregates are used, tests shall be made to determine if gases
(nontoxic) might be released during construction.
(c) Aggregates shall be checked for every delivery to ensure that they conform completely with
purchase specifications
(d) Aggregates shall be frequently evaluated for the effects of deleterious substances or aggregate
coatings on concrete strength or the promotion of corrosion in metallic aggregates or
embedment’s
(e) The chemical properties of all high-density aggregates must be provided to the Engineer
for evaluation before use with due consideration given to chemical reactivity, particularly in
highly alkaline environment as found in cement paste.
(f) Tests for alkali-aggregate reactivity shall be determined from each source and supplier and
shall be made every 3 months.
(g) The fresh density of high-density concrete shall be made from each truck
(h) Lead shot concrete shall not be use for structural concrete.
(i) Thermal conductivity, elastic behavior and shrinkage, hardened density, strength as well as
other hardened concrete properties shall be tested and verified before the use of concrete.

11 Fiber-Reinforced Concrete
(a) Classification of fiber-reinforced concrete shall be made based on the material type of the
fiber incorporated:
(i) Type I Steel Fiber-Reinforced Concrete—Contains stainless steel, alloy steel, or carbon
steel fibers conforming to Specification of BS EN 14889-1 or ASTM A820 /A820M
(ii) Type II Glass Fiber-Reinforced Concrete—Contains alkali-resistant (AR) glass fibers
conforming to Specification C 1666/C 1666M.
(iii) Type III Synthetic Fiber-Reinforced Concrete— Contains synthetic fibers for which
documentary evidence can be produced confirming their long-term resistance to
deterioration when in contact with the moisture and alkalis present in cement paste
and the substances present in admixtures and shall conform to BS EN 14889-2
(iv) Type IV Natural Fiber-Reinforced Concrete— Contains natural fibers for which
documentary evidence can be produced confirming their long-term resistance to
deterioration when in contact with the moisture and alkalis present in cement paste
and the substances present in admixtures. Test Method ASTM D 6942 shall be used
to determine the susceptibility of these fibers to deterioration as a result of exposure
to alkalis in concrete

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(v) When the purchaser chooses to permit the use of fibers other than those complying
with the above classifications, the manufacturer or supplier shall show evidence
satisfactory to the purchaser that the type of fiber proposed for use shows long-term
resistance to deterioration when in contact with the moisture and alkalis present in
cement paste and the substances present in admixtures
(b) The contractor shall submit:
(i) Type of fiber-reinforced concrete required
(ii) Designated size, or sizes, of coarse aggregates
(c) Slump or time of flow required at the point of delivery, or when appropriate the point of
placement, subject to the tolerances hereinafter specified Slump shall be specified when it is
anticipated to be 50 mm or more. Except as otherwise specifically permitted by the Engineer,
cement, supplementary cementitious materials, fine and coarse aggregates, mixing water,
and admixtures shall be measured in accordance with the applicable requirements of QCS
(d) Fibers shall be measured by mass. When the fibers are to be measured by mass, bags,
boxes, or like containers are acceptable provided that such like containers are sealed by the
fiber manufacturer and have the mass contained therein clearly marked. No fraction of a
container delivered unsealed, or left over from previous work, shall be used unless weighed.
(e) Prepackaged, dry, combined materials, including fibers, shall comply with the packaging
and marking requirements of Specification ASTM C 387 or C 1480 and shall be accepted
for use provided that after addition of water, the resulting fiber reinforced concrete meets the
performance requirements of this specification
(f) Batching plant used for the preparation of continuously mixed fiber-reinforced concrete shall
comply with the applicable requirements of NRMCA. Fiber-reinforced concrete shall be
added directly to the concrete at the time of batching in amounts in accord with approved
submittals for each type of concrete required. Mix concrete in strict accord with fiber-
reinforced concrete manufacturer, instructions and recommendations
(g) Fiber-reinforced concrete shall be free of fiber balls when delivered
(h) The manufacturer of the fiber-reinforced concrete shall furnish to the purchaser a delivery
ticket or statement of particulars on which is printed, stamped, or written, information with
details of the type, brand, and amount of fibers used.
(i) The contractor shall afford the inspector all reasonable access, without charge, for the
procurement of samples of freshly mixed fiber-reinforced concrete at the time of
placement to determine compliance with the requirements of this specification.
(j) Samples of batch-mixed fiber-reinforced concrete shall be obtained in accordance with
Practice ASTM C 172 or C 1385/C 1385M for shotcrete as appropriate, except that wet-
sieving shall not be permitted. Sampling for uniformity tests shall be in accordance with
specification ASTM C 94/C 94M
(k) If the measured slumps, time of flow, or air content fall outside the limits permitted by this
specification, make a check test immediately on another portion of the same sample. If the
results again fall outside the permitted limits, the material represented by the sample fails to
meet the requirements of this specification
(l) The following shall apply to all forms of fiber-reinforced concrete except dry-mix
shotcrete. When applicable, the slump shall be in tolerance with this section para
6.4.2.5 (a) and (b).
(m) The time of flow shall be in the tolerances as follow:
(i) When the project specifications for time of flow are written as a “minimum” or
“not less than” requirement

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Specified time of flow

If 15sec or less If more than 15 sec
Plus Tolerance 5s 10s
Minus Tolerance 0s 0s

(ii) When the project specifications for time of flow are not written as a “minimum”
or “not less than” requirement:
Tolerances for time of flow
For specified time of flow Tolerance
8 to 15 s + 3s
More than 15 s + 5s

(n) Finishability - Pre-project trials shall be utilized to determine acceptable surface

finishability by the Engineer. The manufacturer shall provide the services of a qualified
technician to instruct the concrete supplier in proper batching and mixing of materials to be
provided.
(o) Provide fibers for concrete reinforcing capable of achieving a two hour fire resistance rating
when tested under ASTM E 119. Fire tests must be certified.

12 Lightweight concrete
(a) This clause of the specification refers to lightweight concrete with improved insulation
properties where the practical range of densities is between about 300 and 1850 kg/m3.
(b) The required density and strength of the lightweight concrete will be specified on the drawings
or directed by the Engineer.
(c) The method of production of lightweight concrete will be shown on the drawings or directed
by the Engineer. The Contractor shall submit full technical details of the materials and method
of production for the lightweight concrete along with a list of previous projects where the
particular system has been used.
(d) After source approval of the material and system the Contractor shall submit a mix design for
the lightweight concrete for the approval of the Engineer. After the review and approval of the
mix theoretical mix design the Contractor shall carry out a trial mix to check the workability of
the fresh concrete and to allow samples to be made for compressive strength and density.
(e) The Engineer may also instruct that tests are carried out for abrasion resistance and thermal
insulation properties.
(f) lightweight concrete shall be made with lightweight aggregates as approved in part 2 of section
05 in QCS for its use in concrete
(g) The performance of lightweight concrete shall follow ACI 213R

6.7 TRIAL MIXES

1 As soon as the Engineer has approved the concrete mix design for each grade of concrete and
during or following the carrying out of the preliminary tests, the Contractor shall prepare a trial mix of
each grade in the presence of the Engineer at least 35 days before commencement of concreting.
Trial mix shall be mixed and handled by means of the same plant which the Contractor proposes
to use in the Works. The trial mix shall comprise not less than 50% from the central mixing drum
capacity but not less than 3.0 m3 of concrete. The trial mix can be exempted if concrete
supplier provides through an independent approved testing agency adequate history on strength:
(a) Not less than 30 strength test results as in para 6.6 of this specification
(b) The results shall valid by no more than 6 months from the date of approval
2 Batch the field concrete trial mixture within -5°C of the proposed maximum allowable fresh concrete
temperature in a truck-mixer with a minimum batch size of 3 m3.

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3 The concrete mixture shall be held in the mixer for 120 minutes, unless otherwise specified by the
Engineer. During the entire 120-minute period, agitate the mixer at 1 to 6 rpm. At the end of 120
minutes, mix the concrete mixture at full mixing speed designated by the manufacturer (6 to 18
rpm) for 2 minutes.
4 For each trial mix, a plant production trial shall be carried out and the slump of the concrete checked
immediately after discharge from the mixer and thereafter at 30 min intervals up to the maximum
time period envisaged for delivery and standing on site. Based on this trial the mix design shall
identify any adjustments to the range of plasticiser for acceptable workability for different times after
batching. Where ready mix concrete is being used, the above requirement may be waived at
the discretion of the Engineer if the Contractor has documented previous experience of a particular
mix design with test results available.
5 The proportions of cement, aggregate and water shall be carefully determined by weight in
accordance with the Contractor's approved mix design (or modified mix design after preliminary
tests).
6 Each sample shall consist of at least 9 specimens for strength analysis where 3 specimens for each
age will be tested to determine the concrete strength at the required age.
7 If either or both the average value of the strength of the three cubes tested at 28 d is less than
the required strength (target strength) or the difference between the greatest and the least strengths
is more than 15 % of the average strengths, as per BS EN 206-1, the Contractor shall take
measures as deemed necessary such as:
(a) Propose new mix design
(b) Provide new materials and prepare and test further trial mixes until specified
requirements are achieved.
8 Additionally, the Contractor shall measure the temperature, workability of concrete in each batch.
9 When requested by engineer, a mock-up of 2x2x2 m 3 shall be made at jobsite and full scale tests
of the workability of each trial mix shall be made by the Contractor in the presence of the Engineer.
The following tests shall be made on the Site by filling trial moulds to confirm the suitability of:
(a) mix for the works
(b) type of plant used for mixing
(c) face intended for use in the works
(d) type of form oil
(e) type of protective coatings.
10 Redesign of the concrete mixes and trial mixes of concrete shall be repeated for each grade of
concrete until the concrete meets the requirements in this specification and it is verified by full scale
mockup test as described above.
11 Approval of the job-mix proportions by the Engineer or his assistance to the Contractor in
establishing those proportions, in no way relieves the Contractor of the responsibility of producing
concrete which meets the requirements of this Specification.
12 All costs connected with the preparations of trial mixes and the design of the job mixes shall be
borne by the Contractor.
13 The Contractor shall declare any change in the source of the material and any changes in the cement
content consumption greater than 20.0kg/m³ from that used in the trial mixes.

6.8 QUALITY AND TESTING

6.8.1 General
1 In order to ensure that the quality of materials and mix proportions are maintained throughout
concreting operations, sampling and testing shall be carried out using the relevant standard
procedures and all other relevant codes quoted in this specification in accordance with a routine
testing program that shall be agreed with the Engineer before the start of concrete work.
2 The Contractor, through a third party approved testing agency, shall supply all necessary tools
for tests, shall cast all concrete specimens, strip and store them in water as stated in BS EN
12390-2. The Contractor shall also arrange for the transport of samples to the place of testing and
shall supply the Engineer with duplicate copies of all test certificates.

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6.8.2 Tests for Concrete

1 Unless the Engineer directs otherwise, the program shall include at least the tests specified below.
2 Tests on aggregates shall be as described in Part 2 of this Section.
3 Concrete shall be tested in accordance with the requirements of this specification by qualified field
testing technicians or engineer. Concrete testing laboratory personnel shall be certified from a
recognised Institution. Field personnel’s in charge of sampling concrete; testing for slump, and
temperature; and making and curing test specimens shall be certified from a recognised Institution
too.
4 Slump tests (and VSI testing when applicable) shall be carried out at the rate of one test per load of
concrete delivered to the Site, or one test per 10 m 3 whichever is the lesser for the first 50 m3 of
concrete then at a rate of 1 slump test for every 50 m 3 if concrete was consistent during production.
In the event of inconsistent slump values, the Engineer may instruct the Contractor to check the
slump test on each truck of concrete at the plant. The Contractor shall carry out an investigation to
establish the cause of the high variation in slump and shall take any necessary corrective measures.
The slump requirements for the fresh concrete are to be approved by the Engineer.
5 The adjustment for the slump of concrete to fit the job requirement can be conducted only one
time using a proper additive at jobsite provided that such addition does not increase the water-
cement ratio and setting time above the maximum permitted by the specifications. This addition will
only be made at the approval of Engineer.
6 Concrete shall be available within the permissible range of slump for a period of 30 min starting
either on arrival at the job site or after the initial slump adjustment as permitted above, whichever
is later. The first and last quarter m3 discharged are exempt from this requirement. If the user is
unprepared for discharge of the concrete from the vehicle, the producer shall not be responsible for
the limitation of minimum slump after 30 min have elapsed starting either on arrival of the vehicle
at the prescribed destination or at the requested delivery time, whichever is later.
7 When air-entrained concrete is desired the purchaser shall specify the total air content of the
concrete. The air content of air-entrained concrete when sampled from the transportation unit at the
point of discharge shall be within a tolerance of +1.5% of the specified value.
8 Concrete strength test:
(a) Each concrete strength sample shall consist of at least seven specimens, two to be tested at
7 days, three at 28 days and two to be tested at the discretion of the Engineer.
Additional samples may be prepared as directed by the Engineer to be tested at the
discretion of the Engineer for strength and/or durability.
(b) When concrete cylinders have been specified, the concrete specimens shall not be capped
using sulphur for environmental effect. The Contractor shall follow one of the following
procedures and as approved by the Engineer:
(i) Cap the specimens in accordance with ASTM C617 using neat cement paste and/or
High-strength gypsum cement paste
(ii) Saw cut and Grind the surface of the concrete to the desired planeness and
perpendicular
(iii) Test the concrete cylinders using Unbonded Caps in accordance with ASTM C1231
(iv) For field specimens, the contractor has the right to either use the conversion listed in
EN 206 or determine the conversion factor for each specified concrete mix design by
testing at least 36 comparative specimens (i.e. 18 cubes versus
18 cylinders sampled from 3 consecutive batch trial mix).
(c) A minimum of one sample shall be taken of each mix every day the mix is used
(d) Samples shall be taken at the average rate of the followings:
(i) One sample every 30 m3, if the pour is less than or equal to 90 m3
(ii) One sample every 100 m3, if the pour is greater than 90m3 and equal to or less than
2000 m3,
(iii) One sample every 200 m3, if the pour exceeds 2000 m3.
(e) Test specimens for compressive strength testing shall be prepared and cured in
accordancewith BS EN 12390-2. The compressive strength of the specimens shall be
determined in accordance with BS EN 12390-3.

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(f) A test shall be the average of the strength of the specimens tested at the age
specified. If a specimen shows definite evidence other than low strength, of improper
sampling, moulding, handling, curing, or testing, it shall be discarded and the strength of the
remaining cubes shall then be considered the test result.
(g) Identity criteria of concrete strength shall be assessed for each individual test result and
the average of non-overlapping results as per BS EN 206-1 and explained below:
(i) The average strength tests (average of two specimens or more) shall be equal to or
greater than the characteristic (fck) + 2 MPa, and
(ii) Any individual test result shall be equal to or greater than fck – 4 MPa. The test result
shall be that obtained from the average of the results of two or more specimens made
from one sample for testing at the same age.
9 If works test specimens fail at 28 days the Contractor shall suspend concreting operations and
shall not proceed further without approval. The Contractor shall carry out in-situ testing of the
suspect concrete in accordance with Part 13 of this Section, in the presence of the Engineer. All
defective work shall be replaced and retested to the satisfaction of the Engineer.

6.8.3 Hardened Tests for Fiber-Reinforced Concrete

(a) When post-crack flexural performance is used as the basis for acceptance of fiber- reinforced
concrete, make, condition, and test sets of test specimens in accordance with Test Method
ASTM C1399, C1550 or C1609/C1609M as specified.
(b) When flexural strength is used as the basis for acceptance, make and test sets of at least
three test specimens in accordance with the requirements for sampling and conditioning
given in Test Method ASTM C1609/C1609M. Test specimens representing thin
sections, as defined in C1609/C1609M, or specimens representing fiber-reinforced shotcrete
of any thickness, shall be tested as cast or placed without being turned on their sides before
placement on the support system. Acceptance shall not be based on flexural strength alone
when post-crack performance is important. Test Method C1609/C1609M provides for the
determination of first peak flexural strength when required by the purchaser. For many type-
amount fiber combinations, the first peak flexural strength is not significantly greater than the
peak strength in flexure.
(c) When compressive strength is used as part of the basis for acceptance of fiber- reinforced
concrete, make sets of at least two test specimens in accordance with the applicable
requirements of Practices ASTM C31/C31M and C192/C192M and as specified in this
section, or Test Methods C42/C42M or C1604/C1604M and condition and test in accordance
with Test Methods BS EN 12390, C39/C39M, C42/ C42M, or C1604/C1604M. Acceptance
shall not be based on compressive strength alone.
(d) The frequency of tests on hardened fiber-reinforced concrete shall be in accordance with the
following requirements:
(i) Batch-Mixing: Tests shall be made with same frequency as in conventional
concrete. Each test shall be made from a separate batch. On each day fiber-
reinforced concrete is mixed, at least one test shall be made for each class of material.
(ii) When fibers are added, subject for approval of the Engineer, at the truck mixer the
tests shall be made for each 20 m3 or fraction thereof, or whenever significant
changes have been made in the proportioning controls. On each day fiber-reinforced
concrete is mixed, at least one test shall be made for each class of material.

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(iii) For Shotcrete: Tests shall be made for each 38 m3 placed using specimens sawed
or cored from the structure or from corresponding test panels prepared in accordance
with Practice ASTM C1604 and C 1140. On each day fiber- reinforced shotcrete is
prepared; at least one test shall be made for each class of material.

6.8.4 Quality Control charts

1 The Contractor shall submit a continuous statistical analysis, on a monthly basis, for strength showing
the potential strength of the concrete, variations in measured strength by determining the
standard deviation (margin), batch-to-batch variations of the proportions and characteristics of the
constituent materials in the concrete, the production, delivery, and handling process, and climatic
conditions; and variations in the sampling, specimen preparation, curing, and testing procedures
(within-test).
2 The Contractor shall provide in his analysis the mean strength, calculated standard deviation, the
normal distribution of concrete strength and the frequency histogram. The Contractor shall draw
the upper and lower lines for warning line (Target mean strength + 2 x standard deviation) and control
line (Target mean strength + 3 x standard deviation)
3 The contractor shall use the methods, of computing standard deviation along with coefficient of
variation and factors for computing within-test standard deviation from range, addressed in ACI 214
4 This recalculated margin, if adopted by the Engineer, becomes the current margin for the
judgement of compliance with the specified characteristic strength of concrete

6.9 WORKS TEST CUBES

1 Test cubes shall be taken as specified from fresh mixed concrete which is being used in the
Works and which has been prepared in the normal way.
2 Cubes shall be numbered sequentially and marked:
(a) Time, date and name of individual
(b) Section of work from which samples are taken
(c) Mix reference and delivery note number
(d) Name of technician
(e) and any other relevant information.

3 Tests for slump, as per BS EN 12350-2, and temperature shall be made and recorded
whenever samples are taken.
4 The cube manufacture shall be in accordance with BS EN 12390-2.
5 When Self Compacting Concrete is used, the concrete specimens shall not be consolidated in
moulds and it shall be placed in a single lift then levelled with minimum manipulation.
6 All samples shall be moulded at jobsite on a levelled surface area to within 20 mm per meter
7 Immediately after moulding and finishing, the specimens shall be stored for a period up to 48 h in a
temperature range from 20 to 26°C and in an environment preventing moisture loss from the
specimens
8 Specimens shall not be transported or handled until at least 14 h after casting
9 Transportation time from site to laboratory for final curing and strength testing shall not exceed
4 hours. Specimens shall be protected from direct sun or rapid evaporation and placed on cushion
layer to reduce vibration

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6.10 REJECTION OF CONCRETE MIXES

6.10.1 Rejection of Concrete Mixes:

1 Concrete mixes shall be rejected if they fail to meet one or more requirements, which cannot be
brought into compliance as related to any of the following:
(a) Improper class or grade of concrete
(b) Slump or temperature not within specified limits
(c) Oversized aggregate
(d) Maximum water-cementitious ratio is exceeded
2 Concrete shall not be rejected unless it has been visually inspected by the Engineer or
representatives.

6.10.2 Unsatisfactory Concrete Works

1 A test shall be the average of the strengths of the specimens tested at the age specified. If a
specimen shows definite evidence other than low strength, of improper sampling, moulding,
handling, curing, or testing, it shall be discarded and the strength of the remaining specimens shall
then be considered the test result and where the range of the test values is more than
15 % of the mean, the results shall be disregarded unless an investigation reveals an acceptable
reason to justify disregarding an individual test value. To conform to the requirements of this
specification, strength tests representing each class of concrete must meet the following
requirements:
(a) The average of any three consecutive strength tests shall be equal to, or greater than,
the specified strength, f ‘c, and
(b) When the specified strength is 35 MPa or less, no individual strength test (average of at
least two specimen tests) shall be more than 3.5 MPa below the specified strength, f
‘c
(c) When the specified strength is greater than 35 MPa, no individual strength test
(average of two specimen tests) shall be less than 0.90 f ‘c.
2 Should any of the test results be unsatisfactory, the Engineer may order the work to be stopped
pending his further instructions. Executed work for which test results are unsatisfactory shall be
liable to rejection and if so advised the work shall be rebuilt at the Contractor's expense.
3 In the case of the 7-day works cube tests proving unsatisfactory, the work may be stopped liable
to rejection pending the result of the 28-day test. If the test results fail to comply with the
requirements, the work represented shall be immediately liable to rejection.
4 The cost of all such cuttings, preparation of specimens, transportation and testing, and of making
good the portions of the structure affected shall be borne by the Contractor.
5 Regardless of satisfactory test cube results, any concrete work which, in the Engineer's opinion,
is excessively honeycombed or in any other way is defective, shall be liable to rejection. Minor
defects apparent on stripping the formwork must be made good at the Contractor's expense. No
such repair work shall be carried out until after inspection by the Engineer and his acceptance of
the proposed treatment has been given. Work which has not been previously inspected but which
shows signs of such treatment shall be liable to rejection as defective work.
6 The cost of all delays on site due to faulty concrete work shall be met by the Contractor.

END OF PART

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